simplicity
by medotcomslashme
Summary: Daphne is told to take Harry to the Yule Ball. Will Harry Accept? not much bashing, maybe some Weasley. Harry/Daphne AU GoF after 1st task. -{I Solemnly Swear to Try and Update When I Can}-
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: before i begin, i realize that the tease thing wasn't well accepted. sorry. i wasn't trying to tease you. i was merely trying to see if the story idea would generate any followers.**

**Sorry it took so long to get the chapter to you. i only just got some free time. school sucks, blah, blah. **

**hoping the chapters will be longer. i don't know when ill be updating either of my stories again. sorry**

CHAPTER 1

Harry had not had a good year so far. His name coming from the goblet of fire had been the second worst thing in his life so far. And that was only edged out by the death of his parents. First, he had been forced to compete in the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and then he had to face his peers staring and jeering at him. And he had just finished out-flying a dragon! Whose idea had that been?

He looked up, and saw madam Pomfrey rushing towards him. God could that women hover. After assuring her he was ok, telling her he didn't need an examination, and getting that examination, Harry started the trek back up to Hogwarts. He was stopped however, by a hand on his shoulder. He looked behind him and saw the person he least expected to see: Ron.

"What do you want?" Harry asked. He wasn't in the mood for Ron anymore. He was fed up that Ron could have believed that he had entered the stupid tournament.

"I just- I reckon you'd have to be barking mad to put your own name in the Goblet of Fire." Ron said. Harry just stared at him. He had no idea how thick Ron actually was, but he was pretty sure it would take hours or sawing to get through his skull.

"So…what exactly does that mean?" Harry responded. He already had an idea where Ron was going with this, but he was curious nonetheless.

"Well, we can be friends again, right?" Ron looked like he thought this was perfectly normal. Harry thought he might be joking, but Ron looked at him eagerly.

"Ron, I'm going to make this as plain as possible. The answer is no. we can't be friends again. You didn't believe me when I told you I didn't enter the competition, and know you do? Come on Ron. How do I know you're not going to do this again?"

Ron finally managed to stutter out: "wha-no, I- that's-what?"

Harry sighed, but started to explain. "Look Ron, this doesn't mean that I hate you. I just can't be your friend again. We can hang out, do homework, sit in class, but still, we can't be friends. You didn't listen to me. I told you several times that I didn't enter. It was just like 2nd year. But you believed me then Ron. Why not now?"

Ron looked down, and mumbled "I was jealous." He looked back at Harry. "I thought that you just entered to get more attention. I'm Sorry."

Harry looked at Ron. He seemed sincere. "I won't say it's alright, but come on. Let's go get dinner." He chuckled slightly as Ron perked up at the sound of food.

Dinner that night was a quiet affair. Harry suspected that he would be fielding many questions in the common room and later in the week about the task, but he wasn't to concerned about that yet. He just wanted to get to bed.

-0-0-0-Next Morning-0-0-0-

Daphne was having a bad week so far. Malfoy had become more arrogant and cocky than she had previously thought possible. In the month they had been back at school, he had many times insinuated that it would "Benefit her to be with someone of his standing." It was somewhat sickening to think of it.

Her worst fear was that her father would finally give in and sign a marriage contract with Lucius. The only things that stopped him were he thought he could get more money, and he hated Lucius Malfoy. While David Greengrass was a shrewd politician and businessman, he was no death eater.

When she got down to the great hall for breakfast, she was surprised to see her father's personal owl, Aequus, waiting for her. Malfoy, already sitting on the other end of the table, called out as she passed by. "Probably telling you he has accepted my father's generous offer. We'll be married by next year."

She just stared indifferently at him, her Ice Queen mask staying in place. She quickly untied the letter for the owl's leg, and fed it a piece of bacon. She then told it to wait in the owlery overnight and be back in the morning, she would have a response by then. She opened the letter, recognizing her fathers neat, slanted writing.

_Dear Daphne,_

_Lucius Malfoy has been putting considerable pressure on me to accept the marriage contract with his son. Don't worry, I haven't accepted yet. However, I must do something soon. We Greengrass's have always remained neutral, but I fear we must pick a side. Be that as it may, I recognize that you dislike the Malfoy scion immensely. _

_Therefore, I will let you make a choice. I can allow me to agree with the Malfoy contract, in exchange for you not being marked by __him__, or you can go the other way. Before I tell you your other option, I must explain something. It is tradition for the Tri-wizard Tournament to hold a ball around Christmas. You will need a date for this ball. As I stated, you could choose Malfoy, and accompany him, or the other. _

_Because the Malfoy's obvious affiliation with You-Know-Who, to marry Draco would be almost publicly siding with him. As there is only one way to avoid being bullied into that anyway, there are very few options if we wish to side with the light, not the dark. _

_Therefore, if you do not wish to accompany Draco Malfoy, then you must grace Harry Potter's arm for the ball. _

_I'm sorry if neither of those opinions work for you. Please respond soon._

_Lovingly,_

_Your Father_

Daphne just stared at the parchment, breakfast forgotten.

She was going to have to go to a ball with Harry Potter!

All she could say was: "Shit."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey there!**

**So, just got this done! Yay! **

**I used text from the books, which all belong to JKR and her accursed plot. Please don't sue me!**

**Just saying before this: Harry and Cho? WTF? Harry, while a guy, was never shallow enough to become obsessed with a girl because she was 'pretty.' And anyway, I'm f**king sorry, but did you see Emma Watson? So, for this story, no Cho for harry to be obsessed about. Let's say harry never really saw her at all, and never developed a crush. **

**Moving on. Gonna do some stuff, and then maybe update on a day, around some time in the future, at about time O'clock. Thanks!**

Harry, meanwhile, was having some difficulties. He recalled his meeting with McGonagall just minutes ago.

_'Potter, the champions and their partners –'_

_'What partners?' said Harry?_

_Professor McGonagall looked suspiciously at him, as though she thought he was trying to be funny._

_'Your partners for the Yule Ball, Potter,' she said coldly. 'Your dance partners.'_

_Harry's insides seemed to curl up and shrivel. 'Dance partners?' He felt himself going red. 'I don't dance,' he said quickly._

_'Oh, yes, you do,' said Professor McGonagall irritably. 'That's what I'm telling you. Traditionally, the champions and their partners open the ball._

_'…I'm not dancing,' he said._

_'It is traditional,' said Professor McGonagall firmly. 'You are a Hogwarts champion, and you will do what is expected of you as a representative of the school. So make sure you get yourself a partner, Potter.'_

_'But – I don't –'_

_'You heard me, Potter,' said Professor McGonagall, in a very final sort of way._

Harry had no idea who to ask to the ball, how to ask, thank god Mrs. Weasley had gotten him Dress Robes. Then there was the final problem. He couldn't dance!

He did notice one thing: after the announcement had been made of a dance that required a date, he had suddenly earned a good amount of stares from the girls near his age. It made him kinda uncomfortable.

Fortunetly, or maybe unfortunely, Harry was saved a few days later by one Daphne Greengrass.

He was walking from yet another disaster of a potions class when he heard someone shout "Potter!"

He turned and saw the Hogwarts Ice Queen herself walking towards him, looking determined. She walked beside him and said "we need to talk."

He followed her to an empty classroom. Before he walked through the door he asked her "how do I know this isn't a trap. I'm sorry, but you're a Slytherin. You don't inspire a whole lot of trust."

She turned to him, and said "I'm only here to talk to you Potter. Once we talk, you'll see why the secrecy. But I promise, this is not a trap."

Once they had entered the room, she closed the door and threw up a silencing ward. She turned to find harry with his wand pointed at her. "What do you want? I don't have time to deal with pranks and jokes. If you haven't noticed, some arse entered me in a deadly tournament."

She cracked a smile, and her mask of a cold, indifferent bitch slid off, revealing a bright, beautiful young lady. "Harry, how much do you know about your family or pureblood politics?"

"Very little and nothing," he said glaring at her.

She sighed, "I figured as much. We might as well sit. This is going to take a while."

He narrowed his eyes. "I don't have all day Greengrass. Despite what you Slytherins may think, I have things to do."

"Look Harry, I'm not here as a Slytherin, or even as a student. Think of me as a girl who happens to be your age and goes to the same school. I just need to ask you a question."

"Then ask it."

"Before I do, I need you to understand where I'm coming from. Harry, for a thousand years purebloods have played a giant game of inter-house politics. I'm not talking about Hogwarts houses; I'm talking about the family houses. Following?" when he nodded, Daphne continued. "Well, at this moment, Lucius Malfoy is playing rough. He is using money to buy officials, and bullying others into backing him. The problem is this: He is trying to get my father to sign a marriage contract between me and his spawn."

Harry took a seat. "And this is a problem for you how? Don't you all worship the ground he walks on?"

"Well, maybe some of the house. Crab and Goyle are too stupid to think, the Notts thinks the exact same as the Malfoys, and pansy and Millicent are, well, bought for…"

"Ya I get it. That's an awful image. But what about the rest of you house?"

"Well, the older ones ignore him for the most part, and the younger ones are scared of him. But Tracy, Blaise, and I all avoid him. Not that it helps. He has declared me his property."

"OK. Where do I come in?"

"Draco has whined to his father, and made it clear that he wants me. So his father gave mine an ultimatum. Sign the contract, or suffer. Of course, this was said with false smiles and fake compliments. While he is a scumbag, Lucius Malfoy is a very good politician. My father sent me an owl 3 days ago. He had to make a decision. To side with Malfoy means siding with You-Know-Who-"

"His name is Voldemort."

She glared at him. "Can I finish? As I was saying, my father has to choose a side. However, the House of Greengrass has remained neutral for 300 years. My father does not wish to upset that. But it appears he must. The problem is that I absolutely detest Malfoy."

"Hey, look, someone with common sense in the snake pit." He said with a smirk.

She pushed on. "My father gave me a choice: Take Malfoy, or take someone who is firmly in the light, and could not be bullied by Malfoy. Unfortunately, that list is rather short. I know this is random, but I need you to help me."

"Do you need me to talk to someone for you? That's rather simple"

"It's not that simple though."

"And why's that? I'm sure whoever it is won't have a lot of trouble attending the ball with you."

"Because my only other choice besides that blonde sleaze was you."

"Oh." Harry was shocked.


End file.
